I wouldn't say I know more about anything LOL... I just seem to remember that if a pot is wide open, the cap is "out of the loop" so to speak. and I could be wrong about that. The pots feel like they always have and work the same.... I get that you are "caught up" on your studying... Just thinking about it makes my head hurt! Thanks for your thoughts, Mike...

Actually tone pots work backwards to what you might think.

When fully open the capacitor is filtering all the high frequencies to ground, so produces the 'darkest' tone. When shut the pot isolates the capacitor from the circuit sending all the highs to the output giving the brightest tone.

Did you use the same value capacitors as the originals (power rating also)?

Quick check: Put the original caps back and see if the tone you had before returns.

12-03-2017, 02:00 PM

badxmpl

It was previously (in its second "life") wired with only one shared cap. (.047)

I now have it as close to original spec as possible with the .047 and a .022.

So, now I'm more confused. So "shutting the pot" means turning it to 10? You guys seem to do this on purpose. Deliberately making things complicated so we morons have to deliver our gear to the Wizzard for re-grooving....

BTW, the whole world works backwards from what I think, LOL.....

12-03-2017, 10:54 PM

SAguitar

You're catching on, Lucky!

12-04-2017, 05:10 AM

Captain Bb

Correct - turning to 10 shuts the pot and lets all the highs pass straight through to the output (bypassing the cap).

Also, a .047 cap will sound darker as you turn the knob down to 0 versus a .022 cap.

12-04-2017, 06:25 AM

Captain Bb

..and while we're at it: A 250K pot will sound darker than a 500K pot (both on 10).

12-04-2017, 10:56 AM

badxmpl

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Bb

..and while we're at it: A 250K pot will sound darker than a 500K pot (both on 10).

The factory diagram shows all three are 250 pots with a .047 cap on the single coils and a .022 on the 'bucker. shouldn't it be the other way around? if not, I'm thinking of swapping them anyway, just to see what happens, and also putting a 500k pot on the singles.... that oughta brighten them up, hadn't it?

12-05-2017, 09:19 PM

SAguitar

Yup, the 500K pot will brighten up the single coils. I usually use a .022 cap on most of my pickups, 'cause too dark is too dark.

12-06-2017, 07:15 AM

Captain Bb

It's all personal preference.

I'm experimenting a bit myself with this on a Strat I currently have wired with humbuckers. It's wired with two volumes and a Master tone but I'm going to swap it about so I have master volume and individual tone controls. It has 500K pots and 0.047 caps but the tone roll-off it too drastic for my liking, so I'm going to use 0.022 caps to see how much of a difference it makes.

12-07-2017, 07:26 AM

Captain Bb

Re-wired it last night and much prefer the new config with 0.022 caps & 500K pots (more useable range to my ears).

12-08-2017, 05:35 PM

badxmpl

I love it when a plan comes together! Still haven't figured out what I wanna try... Probably start by opening the hood and just staring in there for a while... I may do what the good Cap'n tried and liked. BTW, My tone pots are both .250 as I mentioned but the humbucker calls for a .022 cap and the singles call for an .047. Does anyone else think that sounds bass-ackward?